Warren goes conservative with cash

Elizabeth Warren swooped into the Senate in 2012 as a progressive superstar, but now in office she’s taking a conservative approach to how she helps the next generation of Democratic hopefuls.

Warren hasn’t tapped into her deep fundraising network of liberal activists, female donors and women’s groups to help up-and-coming candidates raise the kind of big bucks they need to get through a tight race.

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Instead, Warren is playing it safe by mostly fundraising for party committees and incumbents — the kind of contributions expected of almost any senator.

Although Warren arrived in the Senate as one of its best-known members, she is careful about how she spends her time and exerts her influence — focusing mostly on issues important back home and those that mesh with her background as a Wall Street critic and consumer advocate.

And while candidates aren’t criticizing Warren for not unleashing her full fundraising power, they are making it clear they’d sure like her help.

“Sen. Warren is the best thing to happen to the Democratic Party in a long time,” said Kelly Westlund, a House Democratic candidate in Wisconsin backed by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC). “She was the kind of candidate who made me pay attention to a race that I thought had nothing to do with me.”

Warren has done fundraising for several of her Senate colleagues, allowing the party committees to use her name for some email solicitations and making calls on behalf of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She has also traveled to New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Pittsburgh and Martha’s Vineyard for DSCC fundraising events, according to sources familiar with her activities.

Candidates running to replace incumbents are hoping, however, that Warren will expand her role as the campaign season heats up and get more involved in their individual election battles.

Rick Weiland, who is running to replace retiring Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), is also looking for some more political love from Warren.

“I think she’s got a tremendous national network, her engagement on the level nationally to help raise the profile and hopefully encourage resources could be extremely helpful to candidates — including me,” Weiland said. “I have not yet met with her. Every time I’ve been in D.C., I’ve tried to meet with her, but our calendars haven’t” meshed.

Warren’s leadership PAC did cut Weiland a $5,000 check and more than 30 Democratic senators — including Warren — were listed as co-hosts on an invitation to a fundraiser in December for Weiland.

Westlund — who said she has yet to reach out to Warren — is facing off against Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) in what is shaping up to be one of the more contentious House contests in the 2014 cycle.

“If she was willing to stump with me that’d be great,” she said. “I don’t think there’s anything that would make me happier — but I certainly don’t expect it.”

Warren’s political endorsement, attendance at rallies or fundraising solicitations would be a major boon to first-time candidates.

In her 2012 senatorial bid, Warren raised more than $42 million, a significant portion coming from individual contributors, according to Federal Election Commission reports. Her campaign committee took in nearly $870,000 in political contributions during the first nine months of 2013. As of early November, she had raised nearly $430,000 through her leadership PAC — the PAC for a Level Playing Field.